Plum Blossom Courage, Jasmine Gold

Plum Blossoms by Sterling Hoffmann

I grew up on a street that was lined with plum trees. Unlike this year, where we have had so much sun, most of the winter would be rainy and overcast. Around this time, we would have a burst of sunshine, and the trees would all bloom. It was a beautiful sight that usually lasted for only a few days until a storm came to blow off all the blossoms.

Several years ago I ran across a description of plum blossom courage that helped me look at what I had witnessed in a new light.

“Zen Masters speak of the development of plum-blossom courage. The plum blossom appears soft and glowing, even when the winter winds still blow. It knows, deep in its essence, that spring is almost here, even without outside agreement. The plum blossom symbolizes the resilience of the human spirit, its ability to open again to love and to go forward into another opportunity for celebration.”The Conscious Heart, by Kathryn Hendricks and Gay Hendricks, p. 8.

Draw on the courage of the plum blossom to successfully bloom and celebrate, even when the going is difficult. Just as a plum tree thrives on cross-pollination, a community like Songbird can support your growth in this special year of change and transformation.

Imagine yourself as a plum tree. Each one of your blossoms is a dream that that can ripen by the end of the year. How can you nurture them?